More Articles News

comment

A convicted felon in Connecticut is heading back to prison after being busted with an illegal, stolen weapon and selling drugs.

In October 2008, New London resident James Bowers was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release after being found guilty of possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Bowers was released from federal prison in December 2014.

Less than two years after his release, on June 30, 2016, while on supervised release, police conducted a court-authorized search of his residence, where they seized a loaded .45 caliber handgun and more than a kilogram of marijuana, which was packaged for distribution. Other items used to process and package marijuana and $2,600 in cash were also seized.

The gun had been reported stolen out of Ohio.

Bowers has been detained since his arrest, and pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana in February last year.

On Thursday, Bowers was sentenced in Hartford District Court to 60 months in prison for the weapon and drug charges, and a consecutive 12 months in prison for violating the conditions of his release.